H1N1 Vaccine Beginning To Arrive In Tulsa

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- The Tulsa Health Department announced Friday that it will soon receive a limited supply of the H1N1 influenza vaccine.

According to a news release from the Tulsa Health Department, the vaccine is in the form of a nasal spray, which is approved for healthy persons 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant and who do not have underlying medical conditions.

It is anticipated that approximately 3,400 doses will arrive within the next week.  

The Tulsa Health Department says it will utilize the initial vaccine supply to begin implementing their countywide school vaccination program by offering vaccine to students and faculty at Limestone Elementary School in Sand Springs.

Although many schools are reporting student absences similar to those found during typical flu season, Limestone Elementary School is experiencing a higher than usual absentee rate.

As vaccine supplies increase in the coming weeks, the Tulsa Health Department will be deploying teams of nurses to area schools who wish to offer the H1N1 vaccine to their faculty and students. 

Next week's shipment is the first doses of the new vaccine to be delivered to Tulsa County as part of the initial 21,100 doses shipped to Oklahoma. 

With the first shipment of vaccine being a limited amount and in nasal spray form, the Tulsa Health Department will be following established federal protocols and targeting high risk groups first beginning with health care workers who provide direct patient care to those most vulnerable to complications from the flu.

Examples include area hospital workers with direct patient care in emergency departments, pediatrics and intensive care units. 

 "With initial supplies being limited, we will continue to work with our local health care providers to provide the vaccine first to the priority groups that are most impacted by the new H1N1 virus and as supplies increase we will be able to broaden the scope of who we can offer the vaccine to," stated Reggie Ivey, Interim Director of the Tulsa Health Department. 

The Tulsa Health Department is currently able to offer free seasonal flu vaccinations at their area clinics to anyone who wishes to receive the vaccine. 

For more information on seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccine availability you can call the Tulsa Health Department flu information line at 918-595-4500.